Speakers at a seminar titled “Economic Bilateral between Việt Nam and Flanders, Belgium, on Sustainable Cities and Climate Adaptation” organised in HCM City last Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Việt Nam and Belgium have great potential for co-operation in various area, including the green, digital and circular economies, a HCM City official said.

Speaking at a seminar on September 15, Ngô Minh Châu, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said Belgium is one of Việt Nam’s top trading partners in the EU, and Việt Nam is its largest in ASEAN.

It is also an important trading and investment partner for HCM City, he added.

“Leveraging this partnership, both regions can work together to build sustainable urban areas that can adapt to climate change.”

HCM City, which is heavily impacted by climate change, has solutions to implement a National Green Growth Strategy to achieve sustainable development.

In recent years, the city and Belgium have carried out several port construction, agriculture, health, and social development projects.

Trade between the two was worth nearly US$400 million in the first seven months of this year.

Belgium has invested nearly $1.1 billion in 89 projects in Việt Nam, including $9.5 million and 43 in HCM City.

With the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement coming into effect at the end of 2020, trade between Belgium and Việt Nam surged by 60 per cent last year.

The seminar titled “Economic Bilateral between Việt Nam and Flanders, Belgium, on Sustainable Cities and Climate Adaptation” was organised by the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre and Flanders Investment & Trade. — VNS